Wednesday 16 May 2012

Happy First National Flash-Fiction Day!


I don't know if I've ever read so many stories in such a short space of time before. Today has been brilliant. From 11am until 3pm there's been a steady stream of short short stories appearing at The Write-In. And I'm VERY PLEASED to see that the writers from my workshop this morning have been scribbling away and representing the Midlands in all its wordy goodness. And it's not even over yet. Well, the Write-In may be, but there's still tons of stuff going on around the country. Get involved! Write flash!

I just got my author copies of Jawbreakers in the post. If anyone has a Kindle, they can download Jawbreakers for free! today. If you'd like the actual book (smells lovely!), then that's available to buy here, or if you're in the Derby area, we can arrange a meet-up and I'll swap you one for six of your shiny pounds.

I still feel a little dazed. It might be time for an afternoon nap. I'm not sure what Calum is powered by, but well, just thinking about everything he's done makes me sleepy. He's amazing. He made this fantastic day/event/idea/book/website/write-in/behemoth happen. And I'm so happy to have been part of it.

Hopefully the day will have inspired lots of new writers and lots of new stories.

Well done Calum, and everyone else involved! Same time next year?


Thursday 3 May 2012

Flashing in the Library


This is the cover of Jawbreakers, an anthology I'm thrilled to have a short short story in. I've had a sneaky read of it already, and I can honestly say there are some flipping spectacular stories inside. It's been put together by Calum Kerr, the brains behind National Flash-fiction Day and all-round superhero, as a way of celebrating National Flash-fiction Day, and of showcasing the wonder that is flash-fiction. The book will be released on May 16th, but you can pre-order it here right now. Yeah!

There are events and happenings up and down the country, and as far and wide as Australia and Abergavenny. In Derby, I'm running free flash-fiction workshops in collaboration with Derby City Libraries.

The first of these will take place on actual National Flash-fiction Day, Wednesday 16th May, from 10am - 12pm at Central Library in the city centre. There are still a few places left, so if you fancy having a go, you can book here.

The next one is on Saturday 19th May, from 10:30am - 12:30pm at Mickleover Library. There are only a few spaces left on that one, so get in quick if you want a bit of Saturday-morning-creative-writing-action. Click here to book.

Writers on these workshops will have the opportunity to have their stories published on a special National Flash-fiction Day website, too. Hooray!

Hope to see you there.